ein311

Bought this: http://www.washington-mount.com/RAM-VB-150-SW1.htm


Took about 2 hours grand total, from unboxing to piecing the stand together and getting it in the car. The longest part was figuring how the actual base was going to mount to the seat bolt.
See, the bolts they supplied with the base didn't thread properly into the existing holes, so I went to the local hardware store and bought some M10x40 pitch 1.25 flange bolts. Worked like a charm.

I didn't use the lower adjuster arm because it makes the laptop sit almost eye-level off to the side and I wasn't liking it.

The laptop I'm using is an Asus N10J-A1 netbook (10" screen) with a 1.6Ghz Atom, 2GB RAM, Geforce 9300M GS, 160GB Hard Drive, Wifi/Bluetooth/Webcam, and a Garmin USB GPS. OS is Vista Home Premium 32-bit.
I have a Verizon XV6800 with PDANet that I will use to tether my Verizon data plan to the laptop when I'm away from wifi.

The whole thing is plugged into a 350watt power inverter that is velcro'd to the bottom of the base. The power adapter wraps around the pole and the excess is tucked under the passenger seat.
I also bought the quick-release harness from Washington Mount so the whole pipe assembly and laptop stand comes out in about 20 seconds if I have trouble with the lock. The laptop can slip out of the spring-loaded base in about 5 seconds.

Now for me to get into a violent wreck because I was trying to play Battlefield 2 while driving... Seriously though, not going to happen.

If anyone wants more pics just post and I'll try to get as detailed as I can.
The actual mounts came with minimal instructions but it wasn't difficult to assemble. The hardest part was what I mentioned above; getting the base to mount to the stock seat bolt location because the stock seat bolts ended up being too short, and the included longer bolts didn't have the proper threading.

I chose this type of mount because we use Gamber Johnson mounts for the Toughbooks for our officers and fire chiefs at work. I like the easily accessible design and although Gamber Johnson doesn't make a kit for the car, I'm lucky I found someone that (sort of) does.


Yea, it's a GT-R wallpaper.

EAmon

id feel like a cop with that in my car

ein311

Yeap...that was actually the kind of mount I wanted. I've mounted a few of these in cop cars, trucks, and SUVs and was totally appreciating the ease of install.

The main focus was getting a decent way to mount my laptop into the car to use my USB GPS.

I could throw the dispatching software onto there, VPN in and login, and if I get pulled over act like an undercover cop. That won't work, all the cops know me (because I work for them...don't get any ideas).

EAmon

next time i roll through Fresno and get a ticket ill know who to go to XD

ein311

Clovis man....Clovis.
I work for the city's IT department's public safety team, so I'm in and out of cop cars a lot.
Those busted old Crown Vics ain't got nothing on your box.
The Chargers... on the other hand...

cobb

I like your dash mat.

draxcaliber

waiting for the update thread "somebody smashed my window and stole my laptop because i put it in my car on a friggan pedestal for all potential thieves to see!"

but seriously, nice job, looks cool!

ein311

The entire upper arm assembly pops off with a spring-loaded hitch pin and fits in the back. The netbook tucks under the seat.
It's not a 24/7 addition to the car, just there for long trips. Was mainly inspired by my purchase of the Garmin USB GPS antenna and my girlfriend's constant asking me to borrow my phone so she can surf the web while going on long trips... so now she can get online and I get my GPS.

Oh, and I got my dashmat from http://www.global-accessories.com/dashmat/index.html
It's a velourmat. I had the awesome idea of tossing it in the wash instead of vacuuming it and it shrunk just enough for it to not fit right.


The other use I have planned for it is something I've always wanted to do for some reason. I've photoshopped a "Danger to Manifold" image straight out of Fast and the Furious and am going to be making a program that will launch that showcases that image and plays an alarm warning with a TTS voice repeating "Danger to Manifold." It will be used when I pull up to all the mid-90s eclipses around town. I'll point to it and ask them "yo what do I do now??!!?"
....I'll probably do it once and never do it again.

cobb

One reason I live in a gated community and work at a secured site. Nothing like being able to park your car with the windows open, doors unlock and stuff layng around.

But seriously, whats up with people stealing those portable gps systems. THey still have a street value?

[quote="draxcaliber"]waiting for the update thread "somebody smashed my window and stole my laptop because i put it in my car on a friggan pedestal for all potential thieves to see!"/quote]

nguyenerrs

nice laptop install! btw what kind of seat covers do you have there? they look nice.

ein311

I don't remember where I bought the seat covers....if I find out i'll let you know.
they're neoprene though... and I think th whole front and back set was about $400 ish...but the fit is really good.

cobb

They made air bag safe seat covers? You know those seats like many in new vehicles have an air bag inthe outer edge that pops out to protect your chest area during a side impact.

ein311

I remember being asked if I had side air bags in case they needed to make the seat covers open up if needed...but I don't have side air bags in my car, so I couldn't say how the seat covers would work.

cobb

Huh? My 06 had 1 inteh steering wheel, passenger side, both 1 pillars and c pillars and the edges of the front seats below the shoulder to come out and cushing your chest during a side hit.

Anyway, it you did, the seat should have a mini tag on the outer sides that says SRS sir bag or restraint.

Zillon

iTrader: (1)

The side airbags were an option on the '06 xA, not standard.

ein311

yea... all the xAs I was looking at didn't come with side air bags. hope I never need them.

cobb

Oh? Thanks for clearing that up. I didnt want ein311 to have any problems if he had an accident. I dont want to see them either, but they kept me from having seat covers in my xa and in my xb.

FYI, my mom has a fused neck and back. Dr recommended air bags and she could survive an accident, but no roll over.

ein311

...Yea, I don't want to be in an accident period! I've never been the driver in an accident, but I have had car vs. debris incidents before (tire exploded off a semi and right into my car once...).

Anywho, found out where I got the seat covers: http://www.shearcomfort.com/
It took about a month to get here, and are top-notch.
They ask whether or not you have side air bags.

geo46_2

iTrader: (1)

do you have internet on that thing, it would be sweet if you did.

ein311

Yea. I have my phone's data plan tethered to the computer. Works relatively quickly and I can stream pandora from it. Pulls in downloads at around 180KB/s (around 1.5mbps speed).